SIXERS: Young out three weeks with hamstring injury

Philadelphia 76ers' Thaddeus Young lies on the court after in injury to his left hamstring during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Orlando Magic on Monday, Feb. 4, 2013, in Philadelphia. The 76ers won 78-61. (AP Photo H. Rumph Jr)

PHILADELPHIA — The sound was clear, crisp, alarming, unmistakable. All that was left was the English translation.

“It was like a rubber band popping,” Thaddeus Young said.

If it were an office supply, that would have been OK. But that popping was in Young’s left hamstring, causing him to leave the Sixers’ 78-61 victory over the Orlando Magic Monday, then shoving him into an MRI examination Tuesday.

Thus, the possibilities: A season popped? A career? Andrew Bynum-ish?

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Fortunately for the Sixers and Young, it was nothing quite that catastrophic. According to the club, Young suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain. And though that was the least damaging of the three known grades, it will keep Young out of the Sixers’ plans for the next three weeks.

“Sometimes, you have ‘Most Valuable Player,’ and sometimes you have ‘Most Important Players,’ or whatever,” Doug Collins said Tuesday, after practice at the PCOM Center. “I’ve always thought that Thad is our most important player. He gives you speed out on the break. A lot of times you see those fast-break points, and the reason we have those is because Thad gets out there with his speed on the break.

“Last night, we had 14 fast-break points in the first quarter. And usually Thad is a big part of that. He either runs and gets somebody else to go with him to open somebody else up, or he gets the break himself. So we miss that speed. Now, we are a team that struggles to score. If we take away some easy baskets, we are going to have to do a better job executing and we are going to have to shoot the ball better.”

Young played 15 minutes Monday, providing six points and five rebounds before injuring himself while diving for a loose ball. The 6-8, fifth-year forward — and most tenured Sixer — is averaging 14.9 points, second best on the team behind only All-Star Jrue Holiday at 19.3.

Among the Sixers’ options is to dust-off Kwame Brown, assign more playing time to Lavoy Allen or trust rookie Arnett Moultrie, who earlier this season had been demoted to the D-League. After the game Monday, Collins said of Moultrie, “We’re going to need him now.”

The Sixers will entertain the Indiana Pacers Wednesday at 7. Collins will not limit his options.

“I told our guys before the game, we have all these injuries, but these guys are NBA players,” Collins said. “So you better understand that a guy in the NBA is a darn good player. We feel Arnett can do a good job for us. Lavoy is going to have to continue to play well. We are going to have to get some minutes from Kwame. There are going to be nights where we play against a smaller ‘four’ and we can play Dorell (Wright) or Damien (Wilkins). So we are just going to have to mix and match with that.”

If Young is out exactly three weeks from Monday, that would next make him available Feb. 28, in Chicago. The Sixers are mildly thankful that Young’s rehab will bookend the upcoming All-Star break, effectively minimizing his number of lost games.

“I’ll just take it day-by-day and try to work myself back into what I can do,” said Young, who limped into the PCOM Center long after practice Tuesday, sporting a bulky leg brace. “I don’t want to rush it or anything. The good thing is that we have the All-Star break coming up. I will take a week of just relaxation and just try to get myself back in for treatment.”

On a three-game winning streak, the Sixers — who had no alternative — promised to overcome the loss of Young.

“He’s one of our top scorers,” said Allen, who had 10 points against the Magic. “He is a mismatch for almost every team we play. So it is going to be tough playing without him. But obviously, guys are going to have to step up.”

Among those not expected to help is Bynum, who continues to treat his sore knees, which have kept him from playing this season. But the Sixers are hoping that their versatility will allow them to survive his — and Young’s — loss.

“I think we have guys who can step up,” Young said. “Spencer (Hawes) stepped up big-time in that win. It is one of those things. It is devastating to see a guy go down, especially somebody like me, who has gone out there and has been part of the team all season long. But we can do it.”